ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: Fibre-reinforced polymer based products have been increasingly used in the automobile, aerospace and aircraft industries in view of its high strength and stiffness properties while being light in weight. They are highly susceptible to impact damage during its fabrication, manufacture, normal operation and during maintenance stages of its useful life cycle. Initiation and propagation of the resulting cracks leads to a dramatic loss of the structural utility of these materials. There has been an abundance of research dealing with detailed analysis of post-impact strength characteristics of laminated composite materials. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the various strategies, procedures and methodologies adopted by researchers to evaluate the influence of low velocity impacts on carbon-fibre and glass fibre-reinforced epoxy composite specimens. The influence of the composites and its constituents on impact properties of laminates are discussed and post-impact performance is assessed in terms of its residual strength. A critical evaluation of various conditions and parameters that are capable of serving as palliatives to impact damage behaviour of laminated composites and future scope and directions in this research field are also discussed.
